Hanger for Christmas ornaments and other objects

Abstract

A hanger is formed as an open loop of an elastomeric material. The open loop includes an integral eyelet formed at one end and an integral latch formed at the opposite end. The latch is inserted through an orifice defined by the eyelet and is held in place by an interference fit. Before engaging the latch with the orifice, a user passes one end of the hanger around portions of two or more objects, so that when the latch is engaged with the eyelet, the objects are connected by the hanger. The hanger, which can be made either of a clear or translucent colorless plastic, or of a colored plastic or other elastomeric material, can be used for hanging one or more objects from another object, or for simply connecting two or more objects together. It's low cost and ease of use make the hanger ideal for such applications.

1. A hanger for removably connecting a plurality of objects, comprising:
 (a) a loop fabricated of an elastomeric material and having opposite first and second ends; and 
 (b) a selectively engageable connection between the first and second ends of the loop to enable the loop to be selectively closed by engaging the first end with the second end to connect the plurality of objects such that the plurality of objects can move unimpeded around the loop between the first end of the loop and the second end of the loop, and to be selectively opened by disengaging the first end from the second end to remove an object from the loop, wherein the selectively engageable connection comprises an eye formed on the first end of the loop and a latch formed proximate to the second end of the loop, wherein the latch comprises a short segment of the loop that forms a substantial angle relative to a remainder of the second end. 
 
   
   
     2. The hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the eye engages the latch to close the selectively engageable connection and the latch is removed from the eye to open the selectively engageable connection. 
   
   
     3. A hanger for removably connecting a first object to a second object, comprising:
 (a) a relatively thin elastomeric material formed into an open loop having a first end and a second end; 
 (b) a latch integrally formed of a portion of the elastomeric material and disposed at the first end of the open loop that defines a substantial angle relative to a remainder of the elastomeric material comprising the open loop; and 
 (c) an eyelet integrally formed at the second end of the open loop, the eyelet having an internal diameter that is sized to removably engage the latch after the loop has been disposed so as to couple with the first object and the second object, thereby removably connecting the first object with the second object such that the first object and the second object can move unimpeded along the loop, between the first end of the loop and the second end of the loop. 
 
   
   
     4. The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the elastomeric material is translucent and colorless. 
   
   
     5. The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the elastomeric material is colored. 
   
   
     6. The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the loop defines a plane and the latch is formed at the substantial angle relative to the plane defined by the loop. 
   
   
     7. The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises a plastic that is molded in the shape of the open loop, with the latch and eyelet integrally formed with the plastic. 
   
   
     8. A method for removably connecting a first object to a second object, comprising the steps of:
 (a) passing a loop of an elastomeric material around at least a portion of each of the first object and the second object; and 
 (b) then engaging a latch formed on one end of the loop of the elastomeric material with an eyelet formed on the other end of the elastomeric material wherein the latch comprises a short segment of the loop that forms a substantial angle relative to a remainder of the other end of the loop, an internal diameter of the eyelet being sized so that the latch only engages the eyelet and in an interference fit, and so that friction tends to prevent the latch from disengaging the eyelet unless a user applies a force to disengage the latch from the eyelet. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of passing the loop comprises the step of threading the loop of elastomeric material through an orifice on at least one of the first object and the second object. 
   
   
     10. A hanger configured to removably hang a first object from a second object, comprising:
 (a) a flexible loop that is selectively configurable as one of an open loop and a closed loop and which is formed of a molded elastomeric material, wherein the flexible loop has to be opened in order to engage the first object or the second object, and wherein the flexible loop has to be closed to enable the first object or the second object that is engaged to depend from and be supported by the other of the first object or the second object that is not engaged; and 
 (b) means for removably engaging one end of the flexible loop with an opposite end of the flexible loop, in an interference fit, so that friction generally prevents the one end of the flexible loop from disengaging the opposite end of the loop. 
 
   
   
     11. The hanger of  claim 10 , wherein the means for removably engaging comprises an integral eyelet that is formed of the molded elastomeric material at the one end of the flexible loop. 
   
   
     12. The hanger of  claim 11 , wherein the means for removably engaging comprises an integral latch that is formed at the other end of the flexible loop. 
   
   
     13. The hanger of  claim 12 , wherein the integral eyelet has an internal size that is only slightly greater than a size of the latch, to produce the interference fit. 
   
   
     14. The hanger of  claim 12 , wherein the flexible loop defines a plane and wherein the latch extends outwardly of the plane, forming a substantial angle with the plane. 
   
   
     15. The hanger of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric material is generally translucent to visible light. 
   
   
     16. The hanger of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric material is colored to provide an ornamentation function. 
   
   
     17. The hanger of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric material is a plastic. 
   
   
     18. A Christmas ornament hanger that is configured to couple an ornament to an object, comprising:
 (a) a selectively closable flexible loop formed of an elastomeric material and adapted when closed, to engage a Christmas tree ornament and couple the Christmas tree ornament to an object; 
 (b) a hook formed on one end of the selectively closable flexible loop; and 
 (c) an eye formed on another end of the selectively closable flexible loop, to receive the hook to close the selectively closable flexible loop, the hook being held only within the eye. 
 
   
   
     19. The Christmas ornament hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the eye is sized so as to provide an interference fit with the hook. 
   
   
     20. The Christmas ornament hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric material is generally translucent and colorless. 
   
   
     21. The Christmas ornament hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the hook, the eye, and the selectively closable flexible loop are integrally molded from the elastomeric material. 
   
   
     22. The Christmas ornament hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric material is a plastic.